Beyond the Apocalypse-Chapter 1045: Depravita of Pride

After the Archangel vanished, the raging fire emanating from Vlad finally subsided. He did not utter a single word, yet the hatred lingering around him was so immense that it condensed into a deep crimson aura, one that pulsed with restrained annihilation, as though it could ignite the world itself should his control falter.

Several long minutes passed.

For any lesser being, such hatred would have consumed the mind entirely, eroding reason and sanity alike. Yet Vlad was no ordinary existence. As a True Depravita, mastery over negative emotions was not merely a trait—it was a foundational requirement. Slowly, deliberately, he forced the wrath back into submission, compressing it layer by layer until his heart could contain it once more.

Only when the last tremor of rage was subdued did he turn his attention to the dimension itself.

The womb-dimension bore the scars of the clash. Fractured starlight shimmered unevenly, and faint distortions rippled through the space where divine and wrathful forces had collided.

Vlad raised his hand, releasing his energy once again—yet this time, it was gentle, profound, and absolute. The Law of Life flowed through him, radiant and serene, weaving itself into the damaged reality.

The restoration demanded an immense expenditure of power, but Vlad did not hesitate. Threads of vitality spread outward, mending every fracture, smoothing every distortion, until the dimension returned to its pristine state. When he finished, no trace of battle remained. It was as though the Archangel had never been there at all.

Only then did the hydra’s head emerge once more from Vlad’s chest. Its massive jaws opened, and the two spheres of primordial essence drifted free, returning to the womb-dimension.

The moment Vlad saw them, the coldness in his eyes vanished.

A radiant smile spread across his face, filled with warmth, love, and a tenderness so profound it stood in stark contrast to the devastation he had unleashed moments earlier. He stood still, allowing the two spheres to drift around him. They moved playfully, circling one another, occasionally bumping together as if laughing in their own silent way.

Vlad watched them for several minutes, saying nothing, simply memorizing their presence.

Finally, he exhaled softly.

Raising his hand, he drew fragments of his own soul and began engraving runes across the dimension itself. Each symbol carried layered meanings—seals against intrusion, wards against divine perception, barriers against temporal and spatial interference. He reinforced them again and again, ensuring that no being, no matter how exalted, would ever invade this place again.

Only after he was satisfied did Vlad withdraw.

The two spheres drifted aimlessly for a moment, as if searching for him. When they could not find him, they soon resumed their play, their innocence untouched by the horror that had nearly consumed them. It was the blissful happiness of ignorance—a fragile, precious thing.

Back in the Xaos Tower, Freya stood pale and trembling.

Her heart pounded violently as fear twisted her thoughts. She had felt it—the burning clash inside her, the incomprehensible forces tearing at reality within her own body. Were it not for Overlord’s constant reinforcement, she knew she would not have endured it.

Yet even as she stood unharmed, her thoughts spiraled relentlessly toward her unborn children.

When Vlad appeared beside her, Freya gasped and staggered forward, panic breaking through her composure.

"What happened?" she cried. "Is my child—is he fine?"

Seeing the terror in her eyes, Vlad immediately softened. He stepped forward and nodded gently, his voice calm and reassuring.

"They are twins," he said. "And they are safe. No harm has come to them."

Freya’s legs nearly gave out.

Relief crashed over her in an overwhelming wave, and tears streamed freely down her cheeks as she cradled her stomach. She had only learned of their existence moments ago, yet already they had become the most important thing in her life—more precious than power, rank, or destiny.

Vlad dissolved the fusion with the other True Depravitas and gently lifted Freya into his arms. Carrying her back to their chamber, he laid her down carefully upon the bed and brushed a hand across her face.

"Rest now," he said softly.

Freya nodded, exhaustion finally claiming her. Though her body remained strong, her mind had endured relentless dread. Within moments, she fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Vlad watched her for a brief moment before teleporting back to the peak of the Xaos Tower.

The warmth vanished.

His eyes turned cold as he approached Overlord.

The A.I. Chip clone sensed his intent instantly and dropped to one knee, head bowed. Vlad placed his hand atop the clone’s head, and in the next instant, his soul ignited.

His voice echoed with ancient authority.

"I call upon the power of Venganza, the First Depravita.

The power of the Seven Sins, I summon.

Split my soul—forever divided."

It had been a long time since Vlad had spoken those words. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Jormungandr, Ouroboros, and Fafnir all fell silent, their expressions solemn as dark psychic energy gathered around Vlad and Overlord. They knew what was about to occur.

A new True Depravita was being born.

Vlad’s eyes burned with cold wrath and unyielding determination as a core component of his soul tore itself free, flowing into Overlord like a raging tide.

"I give you my soul’s pride.

Soul divided, forever as one.

Reborn as Superbia—the Arrogant!"

The negative energy exploded.

A colossal pillar of power surged skyward, piercing the heavens and summoning massive storm clouds that darkened entire continents. The atmosphere screamed under the pressure, but the phenomenon did not last long. The darkness collapsed inward, returning entirely to the Xaos Tower.

"RUMBLE!"

When the True Depravita of Pride opened his eyes, space-time itself trembled.

Jormungandr, Ouroboros, and Fafnir stared in awe. Overlord had been born with a Depravita Sun—proof of his overwhelming compatibility and the sheer strength of Vlad’s soul.

The stronger the original soul, the greater the Depravita born from it.

Yet power alone was never enough to advance in the Depravita Path.

"I am different," Overlord spoke.

This time, his voice carried genuine emotion—yet absolute control.

"I am still myself. Emotions are not something I allow to hinder my mind or my goals."

His gaze sharpened.

"I stand above them."

Vlad’s eyes narrowed as he listened to those words. On the surface, they sounded objective—cold, calculated, almost reasonable. Yet beneath them, he could clearly sense it: a burning core of pride, sharp and unyielding, pulsing within Overlord’s presence.

From the moment Vlad became a True Singularity Depravita, he had possessed the ability to perform the ritual—one that could elevate a being into a True Depravita by dividing his own soul. The reason he had never acted was simple: there had never been a suitable vessel.

Overlord was powerful, intelligent, and endlessly evolving. Transforming the A.I. Chip Clone into a True Depravita would grant Vlad an immeasurable advantage. Yet that same transformation carried a terrifying possibility.

If Overlord’s core nature changed—if arrogance eclipsed logic, if emotion overrode calculation—the result would be catastrophic. A rebellious True Depravita born from his own soul would be worse than any enemy.

That fear had stayed Vlad’s hand for a long time.

But now?

Now he only cared about power.

And for the moment, it seemed fate had favored him. Overlord was still Overlord—cold, precise, controlled.

"...Or at least, almost the same."

That thought crossed Vlad’s mind as he noticed the flicker of arrogance burning briefly in Overlord’s eyes before being suppressed. It was subtle, but unmistakable.

"That can wait," Vlad decided silently. "The only thing that matters now is power."

His gaze sharpened as it swept across the remaining True Depravitas.

"Begin."

At once, Jormungandr, Fafnir, and Ouroboros responded. Their forms dissolved into torrents of energy and fused into Vlad’s body. His frame expanded as raw power surged outward. Massive horns rose from his skull, etched with ancient runes. Radiant golden scales spread across his skin, overlapping like divine armor, while streaks of white fur emerged along his shoulders and spine.

His muscles thickened, compressing with terrifying density. His bones hardened. Even his internal organs were reforged, gaining resilience far beyond that of any Lord-tier armor. Each heartbeat echoed like a war drum, shaking the air itself.

Then it was Overlord’s turn.

Without hesitation, the A.I. Chip Clone transformed into a beam of brilliant golden light and merged with Vlad.

The effect was immediate.

Vlad’s entire body convulsed as a new presence settled within him. A radiant golden eye tore open on his forehead—the Eye of Pride—its gaze piercing space itself. His power surged violently, climbing higher and higher.

The True Depravita of Wrath did not just fuse with the True Depravita of Pride but also the perfected body of a Lord-tier Archangel.

Golden energy flooded his veins, burning yet intoxicating. From his back, wings of condensed golden plasma unfurled, vast and luminous, casting a divine radiance that spilled beyond the walls of the Xaos Tower and into the heavens above.

For several seconds, Vlad stood perfectly still, teeth clenched, forcing his body and soul to adapt to the overwhelming influx of power. Reality trembled under the pressure of his presence alone.

Then—

He laughed.

A wide, exhilarated smile spread across his face as another eye manifested on his forehead.

The Quantum Eye.

The power granted by Overlord was so immense that even without Freya’s support, Vlad had awakened the Quantum Expanse once more. Space around him folded subtly, responding to his will as if existence itself had acknowledged his ascension.

Yet that was not all.

Behind him, a colossal phantom began to take shape—a massive gate forged of light. Its outline alone carried an oppressive sense of finality. Within it lay millions of god-weapons, each capable of erasing armies, continents, even entire planes of existence.